Safety locking device



, April 20, 1926. 1,581,409

J. L. WALKER ET AL SAFETY LOCKING DEVICE Filed Jan. 19, 1924 2 She'ets-Shet 1 April 20, 1926.- J. L. WAL KER ET AL SAFETY LOCKING DEVICE Filed Jan. 19, 1924 2 Sheets-Shes?v 2 /7 v /Z I r JZ, il lfiafl 7 I a a/1x2229- Patented Apr. 20, 1926.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH, L. WALKER nn GEORGE-V n. ALExrs, or aron nouen, LOUISIANA.

SAFETY'LOCKING DEVICE- l lpplication filed January 19, 1924,. Serial 110 681352.

To all whom it may. concern Be it known that we, Josnrn L. WALKER and GEORG DQALEXIs, citizens of the United States, residing at Baton Rouge, in the parish; of East Batorv Rouge and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and useful Safety Locking Device,of which the following a specification.

This invention relates to. alock designed primarily for use, on the steering wheel post of motor vehicles, one of the objects of the invention being to. provide a lock which can be applied readily to the, post and WlllCh does not require any changes in the construction ofthe internal mechanism of the post.

A further, object is to provide-a lock which, when moved to one position, will act to prevent operation of the gears Within the post, thereby preventing proper manipulation of the steering mechanism.

With the foregoing and. other objects 1n view which will'appear as the description proceeds; the invention resides in the combination and arrangementof parts and in the details 'of construction hereinafter J described a id a m i b g der t od that the changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within thelscqpe of what is'clairned without departing from the spirit of the invent on. In a ompa y ng r win s e P ferred'form of the invention has been shown.

I s i rawings? Figure 1 1 s a View partly in elevation and partly in section of a portion a steering .post and wheel with the lock in POSltlOIl' here ntion of the steering mechanism being shown in sect loll 2 Fig; 3 is an enlarged vertical section through a portien of thelock', said section b ng ak n n th l ne 3 ,F 4 and o ng a key n engag me w the W b rs'a l 'said tumbl r en e h y- F 'g- 4 v r ica sec on th g 3 P rtion of the lock showing the bolts projected i o g e n ith t g ars a he ky withdrawn from the tumblers.

Fig. 5' is an elevation of the screw plug closing one end of the lock.

' Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates the usual tubular steering post having its upper end enlarged Fig, 2 is a plan view of the look, a peras at Zand provided with a screw cap; 3

having an upwardly extending boss, 4. The usual steering wheel 5 is provided and is secured to. a, Shaft 6 journaljed in the boss 4 I an adapted to. transmit moeqn throughfthe uSualgearing, indicated generally at 7 to; the

shafts 8 in the post l'.

-A block 9 carrying a yoke 10 extending therefrom isso shaped asfto fit snugly upon the capig Withthe yoke embracing the boss 4 and lying close, to; and under the rib usually formed at the upperend of the boss 4. The block 9 has a flange 12, depending therefrom adapted to fit snugly against and under the marginal portion of the] cap 3. Thus the block can be moved laterally into engagement with the cap and its boss 4 after which a tapered bolt 13 can be inserted n v r e y hrou he en PQr iO of h yoke 10 and tightened," thereby to bind the yoke upon the boss and to holdthe block fixed relative to the cap 3. The end of the bolt can be upset so as to prevent removal formed in the cap 3( Seated inthe wall of the recess 14 at diametrically opposed points and preferably in vertical alinement are holding strips 17 that project into the recess and extend longitudinally thereof. Tumblers 18 in the form of disks are loosely mounted in the recess 14 and have teeth 19 at the periphery thereof; These tumblers are provided with slots 20 extending partly across the centers thereof, the end walls of the slots being beveled or otherwise shaped asindicated at 21 in Fig. 3 so as to conform with the shape of that portion of a key adapted to fit within the tumbler. An

opening 22 is formed in each tumbler and extending loosely through all of these openin the inner or back face of the plug. The plug is adapted to be screwed into the recess but is held against withdrawal by distorting the threads and upsetting the metal so as to cause it to lap the plug as shown at 27 in Fig. 3. Obviously the plug can be retained in any other suitable manner if desired.

A bolt 28 is slidably mounted in the elongated recess 15 and has its lower end normally supported within the opening 16. This bolt is formed with a longitudinal series of transverse recesses forming ribs or teeth 29 therebetween adapted to be engaged by the teeth 19 on certain of the tumblers 18. An anti-friction roller 30 is mounted in the block 9 back of the bolt 28 at a point opposite the point of engagement between the bolt and the tumblers.

' When a key 31 is in engagement with thetumblers it will be centered in the recess 14 bya pointed projection 32 at one end of the key and which is seated in a recess 33 in the inner end of recess 14. Thus the various tumblers will be held out of engagement with the locking strips 17 and by rotating the key in one direction those of the tumblers that are in engagement with the bolt 28 will shift the bolt and bring it to raised position as shown in Fig. 1. Thus the gears 7 can rotate relative to each other and the steering mechanism can be actuated from the wheel 5 in the usual manner. When it is desired to lock the steering mechanism so that it cannot be operated, the key 31 is rotated to cause the bolt 28 to be thrust downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 4. This will bring the key in position where oppositely extending projections 34 on the key will be brought into register with the slot 25. Thus the key can be withdrawn through the recess 26 and slot 25 and as the key is removed from within the different tumblers 18 they will gravitate into engagement with the bottom strip 17. Consequently the bolt will be held by the tumblers in its lower position as shown in Fig. 4 and the gears 7 cannot be operated relative to each other. Whenit is desired to unlock the gears the key 31 is inserted through the plug 24 so that the projections 34 will pass through the slot 25 and into the recess 26. The end of the key will successively enter the slot 20 in the tumblers 18 so that these tumblers will be brought into alinement. When the projection 32 enters the recess 33 the key will hold all of the tumblers properly centered and support them out of engagement with the strips 17. By then rotating the key the bolt 28 will be lifted. At the same time the projections 34 on the key will move away from the slot 25 and into the recess 26 so that the key cannot be withdrawn from the lock.

It will be noted that the lock can be applied readily to a steering post and will act as an eflicient means for preventing actuation of the steering mechanism as long as the key 31 is removed from the look.

What I claim is l 1. A look of the class described including a member having intersecting recesses, a locking bolt slidable in one of the recesses and having teeth thereon, separate toothed tumbler disks loosely mounted within the other recess, certain of said disks being constantly in mesh with the teeth on the bolt, means within the recessed memberfor engagement by the disks to hold them against rotation, and a key insertable. into the disks to aline and rotate them and support the disks out of engagement with the holding means. I x a 2. A lock of the class described including a structure having communicating recesses therein, a locking bolt slidable in one of the recesses, separate toothed tumbler disks loosely mounted within the other recess, certain of the disks being in engagement with and adapted to actuate the bolt, stationary means for engagement by the tumbler disks to hold them against rotation, and a key insertable into the tumbler disks for alining and rotating the same and supporting them out of engagement with the holding means.

3. A look of the class described including a structure having communicatingrecesses, a locking bolt slidable in one of the recesses separate toothed tumbler disks loosely mounted Within the other recess, certain of said disks engaging the bolt to actuate the same, means extending loosely through the disks for holding them against excessive relative rotation, opposed means for engagement by the disks for holding them against rotation, a key insertable into the disks to aline and rotate the same and support them between and out of engagement with the holding means, and means for preventing removal of the key when the disks are out of normal position.

4. A lock of the class described including a block, there being communicating recesses in the block, a locking bolt slidably mounted in one of the recesses, separate toothed tumbler disks loosely mounted within" the other recess, said disks engaging the bolt, a holding strip projecting into the disk containing recess for engagement by the disksto hold them against rotation, means extending loosely through the disks for limiting their relative rotation, a key insertable into the disks for alining and rotating them, and means cooperating with the key for supporting the disks out of engagement with their holding means.

5. A look including a structure, having communicating recesses, a bolt slidably mounted in one of the recesses, separate toothed tumbler disks loosely mounted within the other recess, certain of the disks entuate the bolt, and means cooperating With' gaging and adapted to actuate the bolt, the key for supporting the disks out of en- 1 means projecting into the last named recess gagement with their holding means.

for engagement by the disks to hold them In testimony that We claim the foregoing against rotation, means extending loosely as our own, We have hereto aifixed our sigthrough the disks for limiting their relanatures.

tive rotation, and a key insertable into the JOSEPH L. WALKER. disks fo-r alining and rotating them to ac,- GEORGE D. ALEXIS. 

